September 26, 2022
News flash – there is a record number of people leaving their jobs since the pandemic. Shocking, I know. And it doesn’t seem to be slowing, as one in five workers plan to quit their jobs in 2022, according to PwC’s Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey.
However, companies still need qualified, engaged employees. And almost as important, they need employees that fit the company culture.
For potential candidates, sometimes it’s hard to know what the culture of an organization is really like when applying for jobs. Forbes, U.S. News & World Report and Harvard Business Review all recommend candidates research the companies they are interested in by first reviewing, you guessed it, the company’s career website. Here, these publications say, candidates can get a better understanding of things like a company’s vision, values, mission and culture to see if there is alignment with what they are looking for in their next employer.
For businesses, this means your careers website needs to reflect your culture and be attractive to the type of people you want to attract.
So, how do you showcase your company’s culture? Here are three ways you can upgrade your company’s career website to reflect who you are as an employer and recruit top talent:
1. Display your mission, values, purpose or corporate DNA: Your words matter to potential recruits. And understanding the “why” behind what your business does can either encourage or discourage qualified applicants from applying. Even if you’ve listed your mission, values, purpose or corporate DNA on your “About Us” page (which we see often), it’s still important to display it in the careers section or at least link to it to give candidates everything they need to know about your company all in one place.
- Here’s an example: Nestle’s careers site starts with a big header image showcasing employees, then includes a search bar for applicants to look for open positions and immediately follows it with the company’s purpose. This helps potential recruits know what the driving force behind the company is and whether or not it aligns with their individual values.
2. Highlight why people would want to work at your organization: Due to the number of openings, it is a candidate’s job market today. When folks are looking for positions, you need to make sure your employee value proposition is readily displayed and easily identifiable on your site so people can compare it with other organizations they may be considering. Your employee value proposition is part of your mission, vision and values, but it also includes perks of the organization, benefits and workplace atmosphere. Why do people enjoy working at your company? Are there unique offerings that you’d like to showcase?
- Here’s an example: Cleveland Rape Crisis Center has a page dedicated to “Why work with us” that showcases the company’s employee value proposition, which outlines everything from its diverse, equitable and inclusive staff to its four self-care days benefit.
(Full disclosure: Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is a client of Dix & Eaton, and we helped with the overhaul of its careers section of the site)
3. Show your people: When looking for a job, candidates want to be able to envision themselves at the organization they are considering. Displaying diverse and inclusive photos, videos, etc., representing employees of different demographics allows potential candidates to see themselves reflected among your team. This helps create a sense of belonging and portrays an overall welcoming environment for potential candidates. The best way to do this is to showcase actual employees in your media. While photoshoots and videography can be challenging to coordinate, and can sometimes be costly, in our experience, these materials are used so frequently across the company that the investment is totally worth it.
- Here’s an example: Lincoln Electric’s career website has a video featuring actual employees prominently displayed that showcases the company’s mission. When folks scroll down, many of the featured job images use photos of Lincoln Electric employees in their manufacturing facilities. In the “weekly open interviews” section, there are more employee-focused images. These employees give off a kind, welcoming and enthusiastic energy and portray a positive experience working at Lincoln Electric.
While your career site is one only piece of an overall recruitment marketing strategy, it is an area that recruits are most definitely viewing. Plus, companies own this digital real estate and can quickly update it as needed to tell their story.
If you need help shaping your company’s career website, send me an email. I’d love to take a look at your career website and share some strengths and opportunities.
